Sound-producing device



y J. GRUBMAN SOUND PRGDUCING DEVICE Puga Jan. 2, 1925 mvENToR TrORNEY Leaf ru Patented May 3, 1927.

PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED STATES LEO J'. GRUBMAN, 0F BELLE HARBOR, NEW YORK, ASSGNOR T0 VOICES, INCOR- PORATED, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SOUNDPRODUCING DEVICE.

Application led January 2, 1925.

This invention relates to sound producing devices and more particularly to an automatic sound producing device or voice of the type now commonly used in dolls and other toys for simulating the word Mama or other characteristic cry.

My present improvements are more particularly directed for use in connection with a voice or device of that general construction wherein there is provided an air chamber and a gravity movable weighty member tor expelling air from said chamber through a sound producing reed. In such devices, the emission of the sound is intermittently 13 interrupted and controlled in the movement ot the air expelling member by means of cooperatively related parts. whereby the .sound is properly articulated. It has been the common practice to fixedly secure one of these parts relatively to the other, and therefore it has been necessary to provide an enclosing casing or housing ot comparatively great length in order to secure the required stroke or length o't movement of the f-i weighty air expelling` member.

It is one of the primary objects ot' my rinvention to provide a sound emission controlling means in which the two coacting parts thereof are mounted and arranged within a easing or housing Jfor independent relative movement in such manner that it is possible to enclose said parts within a relatively short casing. and yet insure the complete articulation ot the word syllables. In a preferred embodiment ot the device. one ot' the relatively movable sound control parts is axially positioned within the air chamber and constitutes a guide for the weighty air expelling member and the other sound control part.

It is another object ot my invention to provide a very simple construction and arrangement of the several elements whereby they may be rapidly assembled in cooperative relation with each other. thereby reducing production cost to a minimum.

Vith the above and other objects in view. the invention consists in the improved sound producing device and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts as will be hereinafter more fully de scribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings wherein I have illustrated Serial No. 42.

one simple and practical embodiment of the invention, and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view, illustrating one embodiment of my present improvements and showing the relative positions ot the parts at the start of the gravity descent of the weighty air expelling member.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the relative positions of the parts at an intermediate stage of the air expelling movement of said member,

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view showing the relative positions of the parts at the end of the air expelling movement of the weighty member,

Figure 4 is a plan view with the end cap or cover of the casing` removed, as indicated by the line 4 4 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure Q.

For purposes of illustration, in the accompanying drawings I have shown the operative parts of the device enclosed within a cylindrical housing or casing havin; a body wall 5, which may consist ot' a length of cardboard tubing. the opposite ends of which are closed by the metal caps 6 and 7 respectively. As herein shown, the cap 6 is provided with a marginal flange tor clamping engagement with one end edge ot a tubular flexible bellows wall 8, which is turned over the end edge ot' the casing wall 5. The other metal cap or cover 7 is provided with a plurality of Sound emission openings 9 therein. To the other end edge of the tubular bellows wall 8 a weighty gravity movable head 1() is suitably fixed, said head, as herein shown. consisting of a dise of lead or other metal, centrali".v provided with a concentric sleeve 1i projecting from one side thereof. The wall ot this sleeve intermediate of its ends and at diametrically opposite sides thereof is provided with the sound emission openings 12 therein. The extremity of the sleeve wall is reduced in thickness to receive a disc 13. which is suitably fixed thereon and is of slightly less diameter than the internal diameter of the casing wall 5, so as to permit ot the tree and unretarded movement of the member 10, while preventing any substantial angular tilting movement out of concentric relation with said casing wall. This disc 13 is also provided with a suitable number of openings 14 so that the sound may escape therethrough into the end of the casing and finally pass through the openings 9 in the cover plate 7.

A tube 15 is loosely engaged through the sleeve 11, the external diameter ofthis tube being sufliciently less than the internal diameter of said sleeve to provide a narrow passage 16 between the walls of said sleeve and tube. It will be noted that said tube 15 is of materially less length than the length of the casing wall 5, while of slightly greater length than the distance between the casing cover 6 and the weighty head 10, when the flexible wall 8 of the bellows is expanded so that the said tube will never become entirely disengaged from the sleeve 11.

Within one end of the tube 15 a sound producing reed 17 is suitably mounted and the end edge of the tube wall adjacent the egress end of the reed is provided with one or more notches or recesses 18, through which air may enter into the interior of said tube from the bellows chamber.

The wall of the tube 15 adjacent to its opposite end is provided with diametrically opposed eircumferentially extending openings 19 therein, which,.as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, are of somewhat greater circumferential extent than the emission openings 12 in the wall of the sleeve 11, so that` although the tube 15 may rotate within the sleeve and the positions of the openings 19, with respect to the openings 12 may vary, there will at all times be an appreciable portion of the area of the openings 19 in line with the openings 12 so that in the relative longitudinal movement of the sleeve and tube, said openings will register for the emission of sound therethrough. This latter end of the tube 15 beyond the openings 19 is closed by means of a suitable plug inserted therein as indicated at 20.

In the operation of the device above described, assuming that the bellows has been fully expanded and the parts are in the relative positions seen in Figure 1 of the drawings, the tube 15 and weighty member 10 move downwardly as a unit under the action of gravity. However, owing to the body of air contained within the bellows chamber and which must be compressed by the weighty member 10, the movement of this member is relatively slow. Therefore, initially the tube 15 will move faster than the member' 19 and drop by gravity through the sleeve 1l until it colnes to a position of rest upon the cover or cap 6 of the easing. During this independent relative 'gravity movement of the tube 15, air is of course forced under pressure by the member 10 through reed 17 and the sound thus produced passes through openings 19 in the tube Wall and downwardly through the passage 16 and the openings 12 into the space between the member 10 and the disc 13, such sound passing through the openings 14 in the disc and openings 9 in the metal cover 7, thus simulating the sound of the letter m. When the tube finally rests upon the cap 6, the openings 19 are in registration with the openings 12 so that sound in greater volume is emitted through these registering openings to simulate the sound of the letter a, thus completing the sound of the first syllable ma.

In the continued gravity movement of the weighty member 10 relative to the now stationary tube 15, the openings 12 move out of registration with the openings 19 in the tube wall so that the larger volume of sound is cut oit' and sound again escapes in restrieted volume through said openings 19 and the passage 16 and openings 12, thereby again simulating the sound of the letter m and when the .end of the sleeve 11 moves entirely below the openings 19, sound is again emitted in larger volume through said openings to simulate the letter a for a second time, and thereby complete the sounding of the second syllable ma. The sounding of the final letter a continues until the member 10 reaches its final position `of rest, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. Thus it will be seen that the sounding of the infant cry Ma ma is simulated in a very realistic manner.

In the functioning of the parts, it will be observed from the foregoing description, that the openings 19 in the wall of the gravity movable tube operate at spaced intervals in the gravity descent of the weighty member 10 to twice emit the larger volume of sound to simulate the letter a. Thus, I am enabled in a relatively short stroke of air expelling movement of the member 10 to effect the desired articulation of the sound by permitting of the axial movement of the tube 15 and causing the single pair 1 of openings 19 therein to twice subse-rve the desired function. It will be apparent that if the tube 15 were fixed in relation to the movable member 10 it will be necessary to provide for an appreciably greater extent ot' movement of this weighty member. It will accordingly be appreciated that my present improvements are of considerable importance in that they permit of the mountingr and arrangement of the operative parts of i" the device within a, casing of eonlparativel",v short length so that the device can be mounted or arranged in dolls of smal] size.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, mounting and arrangement of the several parts of my present improvements will be clearly understood. It will be seen that I have provided a sound producing device or voice, the parts of Mus f ineens `which I :have onnd Ato ybe Satisfac- .tory lin practical use, (it will .nevertheless be understood that. these ports likewise .may be susceptible .of considerable modification without `n'1eterielly effecting. the eresults yproduced. Accordingly, I reserve lthe ,privi ege Iof incorporating my `present improvements y.in all such alternetive structurel forms as may be fairly V,em-bodied Within the spirit fend scope-ot thefnvention as claimed.

claims l. ln e sound producing device, ven eir receiving chamber ende weighty ,gravity `Inov- Aable member for .expelling ai-r from seid chamber, e. sound prodaleilfig. .reed through which the -uir islexpelled, and means -for -arltioulating .the emission of sound produced by seid reed, including .parte `each .having coaching sound emission controllingl .apertures and each movable relative to lthe other and with respeet `torsaid,chamber inthe direction of .movement of said weighty membert.

2. lin esound producing device, `an air re ceiving chamber und. a weighty l.pp'avity .movable :member for expelling air from-'said chamber, a sound producing reed 'through which .the geil' is expelled, and means for articulating .the remission of sound Iproduced by said reed ,including en ,apertured ,part on saidweight-y ,member and independent sound control member having a sound euriesion aperture eoaoting .with seid apertnred part and movable by gravity .independently ozf said weighty member.

3. In a sound producing idevfice,.-am..eir receiving chamber and; a weighty gravity movable member for expel-ling ravir from seid chamber, e sou-ntl reduc-ing reed through which :the oir is eiqoelled,- and means for articulating the emission of .sound `produced by said reed including .an .apertured part carried by said weighty member, .and a sound emission controlling element having an yemission aperture :to coact kwith the operture in seid part und loosely extending throng-h said weighty .member for gravity movement independently thereof.

4 Inv :Leonard Moduoiog device, an air receiving chamber and :a wfitghty gravity rmovable member .for expelling ,err from said chamber, a. sound producing reed through 1which the air iis expelled, vand means for articulating Athe emission of sound Aproduced by seid .reed .including an epertured part carried iby said weighty member,v and a sound yemission controlling ymember independent. Eof fseid weighty member and coF operatively associated ywith seid epertured part and bodily movable -by gravity .with respoot thereto and independently of seid weighty :member to control the emission of Milind/through` said apertured part.

5. .A sound producing device, comprising u casing having an air chamber thereinuand a weighty gravity movable member for eX- pelling :air from seid chamber, a reed through which'the air is expelled and .means for 7orticu-latingthe sound reduced by said reedinoluding .en apertured pertczu-ried by said weighty member, end an epertured sound emission controlling element inde" -pendentof said weighty member and mounted .within the'cesing yfor movement by ity between the ends thereof, the apertures of seid port end said element eoacting to control the lemission of sound.

v6. A sound producing device includingy a casing, a sound producing reed, a weighty Alfuember longitudnolly .movable by gravity :in y*Seid cosing to expel oir rthrough said (reed, seid weighty `member having Ao lvalve part, und e gravity .movable sound emis- Sioncontrolling-element, independent of said weighty member, extending longitudinally of the casing. andof less tlength thanthe distance between the casing ends -sl-idably engagod with said valve port on seid weighty member tor .interrupting lthe emission of sound through seid .val-.ve part.

7.. A sound producing device, 'comprising a casing- ,hev-.iug en vair chamber therein and e weighty member longitudinally movable in the casing, .to expel air from lseid chamber, said weighty ,member having` a sleeve thereon provided .in its .well .with a sound emission aperture, a gravity movable tube extending loosely through said sleeve and of less length .than thecasing, a reed carried by said tube through .which the air is eX- pel-led, .and the wall of seid tube having an opening therein to cenet with the .opening inseid sleeve well andfeect thearticulation of the 'sou-nd .in .the relative gravity moveynient of the weighty member and vthe tube.

8. ln e sound producing device, e casing having en air chamber therein and a weighty gravity .movable member to. expel air trom said chamber, seid member having a sleeve provided with a sound emission eperture in its wall and a tube loosely enguged through said sleeve and of less length than the distaneebet-woen thewcasinglendeo reed mounted in one end of said tube through 4which ,the air is expelled, the wall of said tube ad- Y)lucent -tsiotbor end. having en opening there lll'.

in, and said tube moving by gravity relative to said weighty member in the initial air expelling movement thereof, whereby the opening in the tube wall is caused to register with the aperture in the wall of said sleeve, and said sleeve cooperating with the opening in said tube wall in the continued gravity movement of the air expelling member, whereby the articulated emission of the sound is effected.

9. In a sound producing device, an air receiving chamber' and a weighty gravity movable member for expelling air from said chamber, a sound producing reed through which the air is expelled, and means for articulating the emission of sound produced by said reed including an apertured part carried by said weighty member, and a sound emission controlling element having an emission aperture to coact with the aperture in said part, said element being movable by gravity independent of said weighty member during the initial air expelling movement of said member and having a part adapted to engage one end of the casing and maintain said element in a relatively stationary position during the remaining air expelling movement of said member.

10. In a sound producing device, an air receiving chamber and a weighty gravity movable member for expelling air from said chamber, a sound producing reed through which the air is expelled, means for articulating the emission of sound produced by said reed including an apertured part carried by said weighty member, a sound emission controlling element having an emission aperture to coact with the aperture in said part and movable by gravity independently of said weighty member during the initial portion of the air expelling movement of the latter, and a relatively fixed part limiting such gravity movement of the sound emission controlling element and maintaining the same in a relatively stationary position during the remaining air expelling movement of said member.

11. In a sound producing device, an air receiving chamber and a weighty gravity movable member for expelling air from said chamber, a sound producing reed through which the air is expelled, means for articulating the emission of the sound produced by said reed including parts each having sound emission apertures and each movable relative to the other and with respect to said chamber in the direction of movement of said weighty member, and means for preventing any substantial lateral tilting motion of said member with respect to the` direction of its air expelling movement.

12. In a sound producing device, an air chamber, a sounding reed, co-axially associated parts movable by gravity independently of each other, one of said parts constituting a head for oneI end of the air chamber and operating in its gravity movement to expel air therefrom through said reed, said parts coacting in their relative gravity movement to control the emission of the sound produced by said reed, and said air chamber havinga head at its other end constituting a stop to limit the gravity movement of the other of said parts and hold the same relatively stationary 'during the continued gravity movement of the first named part.

13. In a sound producing device, an air chamber having a gravity movable head at one end and a relatively fixed head at its other end, a sound producing ree-d through which air is expelled from said chamber in the gravity movement of said first named head in one direction, a second gravity movable member co-axially associated with said gravity movable chamber head and movable independently thereof, said chamber head and member having coacting means controlling the emission of the sound, and said member adapted to engage the fixed head of said chamber to limit the independent gravity movement of said member and hold the same stationary during the continued gravity movement of the chamber head.

14. In a sound producing device, a casing, a bellows enclosed within said casing having a fixed head at one end and a gravity movable head at its other end, a sound producing reed through which air is expelled from the bellows by the gravity movement of the latter head in one direction, a member having independent gravity movement through said movable bellows head, and the fixed head of said bellows constituting a stop limiting such independent gravity movement of said member to hold the same relatively stationary during the continued gravity movement of said bellows head, and sai'd bellows head and member having coacting parts controlling the emission of the sound produced by said reed.

15. In a sound producing device, an air chamber, a gravity movable member constituting a head for one end of said chamber, a sounding reed through which the air is expelled from the chamber in the gravity movement of said head in one direction, a member having independent gravity movement relative to said chamber head, said head and member coacting to control the emission of the soun-d produced, and means adapted to be engaged by said member to limit the gravity movement thereof' and conu stituting a stop to support said member in a relatively stationary position during the continued gravity movement of the air chamber head.

16. In a sound producing device, a casing having an air chamber therein, a sounding reed, and two members each reciprocal by gravity relative to the other and movable Within said easing along a common aXis, said members having coacting .means to control the emission of sound in the relative reciprooation of said members, one of said members during its reciproeation in one direction causing the passage of air through said reed and the sound emission controlling means thereof twice cooperating With the sound emission controlling means of the other 10 member in the relative reeiproeation of sai-d members to thereby efect an articulated emission of the sound.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name 15 hereto.

LEO J. GRUBMAN. 

